Meet The Ambassador – Leo

Tell Us A Little Bit About Leo

“Leo was a very hungry baby from the get go. I breastfed at first and my supply couldn’t reach his demand. We soon changed him over to formula and even at that the first infant milk wasn’t cutting it. We started him on hungry milk, to delay the onset of early weaning but we couldn’t delay it for very long. We started him off on the milupa sunshine orange baby rice, and worked our way up through mashed rusks to bananas, peaches kiwis and then onto homemade batches of carrot, parsnip and sweet potato. Which he loved. He took to weaning very well which was no major surprise to us. We were told to hold him off for another month but Ethan and I decided to follow our own instinct and we haven’t looked back. Since we started weaning him he is more content and sleeping through the night. I have to keep track of what he has tasted for his dietitian in the CRC in UHW. Her recommendation to us was to give him a wide variety of tastes and textures. He has tried most fruits and vegetables and the only one he didn’t like was an avocado. We have since had a little well cooked scrambled egg, which he absolutely devoured. I have also tried to introduce him to meat. In fact the day I put him forward for the ambassador club. I made potato, red peppers and chicken purée but it was not a success, I haven’t tried him on chicken or any meat or fish for that matter since.”

Tell Us About Your Journey Into Motherhood

“I am a very young mother. I just turned 22 in July. My journey into motherhood was an unexpected one to say the least. While it was unexpected and I was shocked at first that shock immediately turned into love and excitement. Leo’s dad my boyfriend Ethan, was the very same. I had great support throughout my pregnancy from both families. I knew motherhood would be the toughest job I’d ever do, but I can honestly say it’s been the most natural thing for me. I have always had a very strong maternal instinct and I was branded “the mother” figure in my group of friends growing up. The most difficult part of my journey to date has been Leo’s early arrival and his stay in the NICU. I can’t put into words how difficult that was. Looking back, I genuinely don’t know how I did it. It makes me so upset just remembering it. Leo was born at 26 weeks and 4 days. Born on the 10th of September when he was due on the 13th of December, 2017. We spent 13 weeks in the NICU in Ardkeen in UHW. Those days were long, lonely, and mostly negative. I owe so much to all the fantastic nurses and doctors. They were angels. They kept our spirits high when we were low, they comforted not only Leo but Ethan and I along with our parents and they did long hours of work that I can only describe as heroic. The relaisation of Leo’s traumatic entrance into the world didn’t hit me until he came home, and I no longer had the reassurance of trained professionals at my every beck and call, and I didn’t have to pretend to be strong in a room full of strangers. Motherhood isn’t an easy, plain sailing undertaking no matter how or what way your bundle comes into the world, but hands down I’d spend another 13 weeks in the NICU just for the Love and happiness alone that Leo brings me. “

Do You Have Any Funny Feeding Stories?

“When we first introduced Leo to raspberries. We did it through the Cleva mama feeder. And he couldn’t get enough of the raspberry he worked himself into such a frenzy that between myself and my mother we thought he was reacting badly to it. Took the raspberry off him, and made the situation worse. Soon came to the realisation that he was fine, gave the raspberry back to him and we didn’t hear a peep. Raspberries are a favourite of his. And most mornings has yogurt, raspberries and a rusk mashed together. Leo is the description of “hangry” and when feeding him the only approach to take is to shovel the food into his mouth. You don’t have time to even wipe his chin or lips with the spoon or muslin, you just simply have to shovel. One huge tip I would love to go back in time and prepare myself for would be the grappling of the spoon. I don’t know how many tops I have that have since been splattered in bit of everything due to Leo grip. My saving grace during feeding times is two spoons ( one for me and one for Leo ) and a baking apron to act as my own bib.”

What’s Leo Least Favourite Food?!

“So far there isn’t much. But avocado was unsuccessful along with his first taste of chicken. “

When Do You Find Pip & Pear Comes In Handy For You?

“When I’ve run out of my own batch cooking! Ethans mam minds Leo while we are in work, and she gives Leo Pip & Pear when she’s out and about with him in his pram. We have also loved how No.9 cafe in Waterford City serves it on their menu. We have loved the availability of that. “

What’s Your Favourite Dish To Cook For Leo?

“I love to batch cook carrot, parsnip and sweet potato. I would eat that myself. I also love making up dairy free yogurt and rusk in the morning. That’s another one of Leo’s meals that’s I’m partial to a helping of. One that I haven’t made in a few weeks which was a huge success was steamed broccoli and garden peas purée. Very easy just chop, steam and blitz. I also match make Leo’s breakfast, it’s so handy for the mornings that I’m in work early. I make up a big pot full of ready brek oats and freeze. I then thaw the morning he’s having them it takes about 5 minutes. You have to be careful because it can go stodgy very quickly. I would give it to him with either boiled and mashed pears, peaches or apple. And mix in one scoop of his formula. “